Let’s burn a goat!

It’s that time of year again and the kick off is Sunday.
Are we doing bets?

https://www.visitgavle.se/sv/gavlebockens-ode

Hope it doesn’t burn but it probably will!

The 2015 assassination attempt made me laugh!

A 26-year-old man fleeing the scene with a singed face, smelling of gasoline, and holding a lighter in his hand was arrested. Under questioning, he admitted to committing the offence, adding that he was drunk at the time and that in retrospect, it was an “extremely bad idea”

He is awake again on twitter. Wasn’t too happy when his little brother got burned last year….

https://twitter.com/Gavlebocken?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

The Goat Cam is now live.

http://www.visitgavle.se/gavlebocken

You know when at first glance an ‘r’ and and ‘n’ can run together and look like an ‘m’? …

You know when at first glance an ‘r’ and and ‘n’ can run together and look like an ‘m’? …

Indeed. My commute from Paddington to Didcot became considerably more fraught after seeing posters advertising Burn After Reading.

Goat still lives, the local heroes are going to have to shape themselves if they want to get this done before Christmas.

I loved the archer with the flaming arrows. A high spot in the Goat’s history.

Randomly, I’ve been to Gavle. We were hoping a for a big site to go ahead there as it meant I may have got to see the goat in person. Sad times.

There are some more odd Swedish Christmas traditions on the BBC website – https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4lCh1jbJfzBf5D2CLxG4FtY/how-to-celebrate-christmas-like-a-swede

looks like it was burnt again this year:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59696442

Awww, what a shame 🙁

Is it a shame? I’m so conflicted by this. I hate pointless graffiti, antisocial behaviour and bellends in general but somehow I see this particular thing as different.
I just find it funny. The continuing battle between having a big goat or burning the goat down. It’s not like the goat stands for something people disagree with, it’s not a political thing, it’s just a thing to try and burn.
Is that so wrong? I don’t know, but I find following the story every year quite entertaining.
🤷‍♀️

I’m with you on that, there is a massive element of something like slapstick going on with that. I have an image of the cops running after someone with a burning torch with the benny Hill music playing.
I’m sure it is sad for all the families that go to see it, but there is an element of amusement in its incineration too

Yeah, I see it as a bit like the glasgow duke of wellington road cone, the burning of the goat is basically part of the goat’s whole purpose now

Talking to my Swedish colleague about it earlier today and we both think they should make it into a bonfire sort of event make the burning an official part.
Its basically tradition by now.

It has survived an attempted kidnapping via helicopter

That would be worth seeing.

I really think they need to make their goat out of something less flammable. It’s actually pigheaded to keep doing it really.

Yeah, I see that it’s now become a target – and I guess adds to the attraction so maybe not a lost cause.

No doubt it’ll be back next year 🙂

Long live the goat 🎄👍

I came on here thinking Michael Masi had started posting on Singletrack

Aww, shame. I’ve been keeping an eye on him, (her?) via the webcam the last couple of years. I’m in the leave the goat alone camp.

I’m thinking firing a flaming arrow into it would be a classic jape and also minimise the chance of getting caught

We only know about it (well, the media only cover it) because of it’s burning. The burning has become an equally important part of the story.

Long live the goat

And long live the attempts to burn the goat. Creation and destruction are two sides of the same coin.

We only know about it (well, the media only cover it) because of it’s burning. The burning has become an equally important part of the story.

That’s true enough I suppose. Not such thing as bad publicity! They’ve taken the camera feed off the website.

I’m thinking firing a flaming arrow into it would be a classic jape and also minimise the chance of getting caught

2005 Burnt by unknown vandals reportedly dressed as Santa and the gingerbread man, by shooting a flaming arrow at the goat.[15][33]

Not bad for an inner city fire,but I feel they try a bit harder in Belfast.

^^The ash proof brolley is an nice touch 🙂

2005 Burnt by unknown vandals reportedly dressed as Santa and the gingerbread man, by shooting a flaming arrow at the goat

That sentence alone makes burning it worthwhile. Just the word vandals needs replacing with heroes

I really think they need to make their goat out of something less flammable.

Well, I think they have tried:

1987 – Heavily fireproofed. Method of destruction: fire.

2013 – Soaked in flame-retardant. Method of destruction: fire.

2005 Burnt by unknown vandals reportedly dressed as Santa and the gingerbread man, by shooting a flaming arrow at the goat

The YouTube video above features that very Santa and gingerbread man 🙂